This book will change your life

What are Power Stories? What makes them so effective? And why do you need eight of them? Prepare to harness the lost art of storytelling as you transform your brand into an icon and your customers into loyal advocates!

Valerie has run keynotes or workshops for:

Podcast: So you want to be a writer

Get your weekly dose of news in the world of writing, publishing and blogging. Join Valerie Khoo and co-host Allison Tait as they give you insider gossip and ideas on how to make it as a successful writer.

Valerie Khoo

Valerie is founder of the Australian Writers’ Centre and author of Power Stories. She is a podcaster, blogger and keynote speaker.Read more.

Learn now

Want to learn from Valerie? You’ll find a range of self-paced and tutor-led courses to suit your learning goals run by Valerie and her team.Find out more.

Free ebook

Sign up for my weekly newsletter and you’ll receive the report “Storytelling secrets of highly profitable businesses”, powerful tips on business growth, special offers and a peek into my entrepreneurial journey. Sign up now!

Podcast: So you want to be a Photographer

Get your weekly dose of news in the world of photography, publishing and blogging. Join Valerie Khoo and co-host Gina Milicia as they give you insider gossip and ideas on how to make it as a successful photographer.

How to write a business book

Everything you need to know about how to write your book – and get it published. Bestselling author and CEO of the Australian Writers’ Centre Valerie Khoo leads you step by step in your publishing journey.

Photographing reflections can be tricky, but they can also add another dimension to your photography. While some photographers think reflections are annoying, they can also be a creative tool that can take your images to another level.

In this episode, Gina and Valerie discuss where to look for reflections, how to use them to your advantage and what you need to do to achieve the look you want.

In Episode 109 of So you want to be a writer: breaking up with your novel, what to look for in a writers’ group, bogus writing rules you should ignore, and tax tips for writers who hate maths. Plus: discover the meaning of “stultify” and meet author Sue Whiting. Also: how to use other people’s Instagrams to build your author platform, and more!

What really goes on behind the scenes at the A-list television awards ceremony? Well, a lot! And from a photographer’s point of view of there are many issues to contend with. Apart from the technical aspects of the right lighting, you also need to understand posing and directing stars while you’re under a lot of pressure.

In this episode, Gina and Valerie break down how Gina prepares for this kind of shoot, what gear to bring, how to set it up, and reveal the hacks and techniques you need to understand when you only have mere minutes to capture shots that … Read the rest

In Episode 108 of So you want to be a writer: The benefits of writing longhand and famous writers and their first word processor (can you remember yours?). Discover what “peripatetic” means and meet publishing doyenne Marina Go, author of Break Through: 20 Success Strategies For Female Leaders. Check out Litsy, the new social media app for book lovers, find out why you need a decent photo as an author, and more!

Are filters still relevant these days? When so much can be done to images in post-production, what filters do you really need?

Gina and Valerie discuss why you still need filters, which ones are ideal for your photograph, and surprising ways that you can use them. You’ll also discover what you can do to MacGyver handy filters in any situation.

In Episode 107 of So you want to be a writer: Beware where you send your manuscript. Do skinny, pretty writers get more book deals? Discover writing tips from bestselling YA authors, how to speed up your writing, and what “feckless” mean. Plus: a blog for teen writers and meet Sonya Voumard, author of The Media and the Massacre. Hear tips for juggling parenthood and earning a regular income from writing, and much more.

On location in Cebu in the Philippines, Gina and Valerie talk about the next part of their adventure and how to photograph in exotic locations. They cover dealing with the camera condensation that’s prevalent in the tropics, handling the harsh light, how to find the good light, shooting total strangers, what “cake bread” really is – and much more.

In Episode 106 of So you want to be a writer: How author of The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins, took four books before she really found her voice, how to read a publication to find out what the editors are looking for, and meet the lawyer who wrote bestselling books on his daily commute. Plus: get an entire book on a poster, learn about the crazy proposals of the Productivity Commission and how this impacts you. Discover what a “logophile” is and how to get traction on social media. Meet Natasha Lester, author of A Kiss … Read the rest